Inuyasha, Briefly
by Sharibet
Summary: Another victim of Kristine Batey's 100word challenge...for me, this is a real challenge. I like to write long. Each chapter its own story. Voted Best ShortShort category for Winter 2005 by the Inu Yasha Fanfiction Guild
1. Waiting

**Waiting**

His first attempt to snatch the jewel failed. Confused, still weak from the sealing, he missed--and was collared.

Forced to submit to _her_, he waited. Patience had never come easy, and it made him foul-tempered now, yet somehow, the humans who joined their quest trusted him, considered him a friend.

Keh. Mere shards were useless to him, so he helped the girl to gather them. But she never tamed him.

He was only biding his time for when the jewel would be complete once more.

_Full youkai_.

And then…he would repay every _Osuwari__!_ command she had ever given him.


	2. Luck of the Draw

Luck of the Draw 

Kagome died from her wounds soon after the final battle against Naraku. Sesshoumaru had already departed, taking with him the only chance of reviving her.

And so, Inuyasha wished upon the Shikon: _Return her to me!_

The jewel answered: _In every lifetime, her soul will seek you_.

He waited impatiently now, clawed fingers gripping the quiescent jewel, as the small party approached the shrine. 

Pulse. 

She was here. _Finally_!

A boy detached himself from the group, and ran to Inuyasha.

"Dog ears!" he cried, delightedly, hands lifting to touch them.

The jewel pulsed again. What...? Him?

_Him_?

"Fuck."


	3. Home Early

Home Ear-ly

"What if she finds out?"

"She's still at school," Mrs. Higurashi replied, serenely. Her fingers kept up their steady  motion.

The hanyou sighed, then, eyelids drooping, he let his head sink back into her lap. 

"It'll be our secre--" she began, interrupted by the shoji sliding open. 

"Mama? Inuyasha!" Kagome stood framed by translucent paper, gape-mouthed.  "MAMA!"

Inuyasha launched himself off her lap with a yelp, his face scarlet. 

"How COULD you?" 

Sobbing. Girlish tears. And a hanyou cowering in the corner, hoping to escape his girlfriend's wrath.

"I hoped you'd understand," said Mrs. Higurashi, finally, her fingertips still tingling with the feel of warm velvet.   "Wasn't it the first thing YOU did?"


	4. Tresses

Tresses

Youkai or not, she liked guys with long hair. That was the only explanation.

Kouga pulled his hair free of its ponytail, and leaned over the still pool of water. He sighed in despair.  Two hundred years, and it was still only shoulder-length. How had the Inu-koro grown a waist-length mane so quickly?

There was only one thing to do. Clutching the "scissors" he had stolen from Kagome's backpack, the wolf-prince crept forward, towards the campfire's dim flicker.

Time to even things out.


	5. You Can't Go Home Again

Okay, I'm sorry if my previous two drabbles confused my readers. Like I said, sticking to the 100-word limit is HARD. ::wry smile::

So, to answer your questions:

(1) Mama Higurashi has been giving Inuyasha ear-rubs on the sly. Kagome catches them in the act. 

(2) Kouga decides that the reason Kagome favors Inuyasha is because Inuyasha has better hair. Armed with scissors, he decides to take matters into his own hands. Silly, neh? 

Hopefully, I'm getting better with practice and this next one won't be as enigmatic. 

------------------

You Can't Go Home Again

"You know what this means, don't you?" Kagome said, from the bottom of the well. Her knees hurt from where she'd hit the unyielding dirt. Why wasn't the time-portal working?

Inuyasha smirked down at her from high above. "No more of those stupid tests. And you'll be here. All. The. Time." 

"And no more ramen. Ever." she reminded him, around the pain in her heart. _Trapped in the Sekgoku-jidai_. _Mama! Souta! Grandpa!_

She might not miss school that much, though. 

He leaped down next to her, and began clawing at the dirt. "Hurry up, wench! Dig!"


	6. Faithful Followers

Faithful Followers

"Kouga! Wait up!"

The two wolf youkai stumbled to a halt, leg muscles quivering from trying to keep up with their leader. Who was rapidly disappearing over the crest of the nearest hill in a dusty whirlwind.

"We'll never get there in time, anyway," Hakkaku said, panting. 

"And even if we did, he wouldn't let us help. Not against Inuyasha," added Ginta, sweat dripping off his pointed ears.

A long moment passed. "Hey, Ginta?"

"What?"

"You ever been fishing?"

"Nope."

"Think Kouga would miss us if we just stayed here?"

"Nope." Another long pause. "That stream sure looks nice and cool."

"Okay, then."


	7. Convenient Amnesia

Convenient Amnesia

Somewhere in the middle of this latest battle, Inuyasha realized that didn't want to become a full youkai any more, not if it meant forgetting Kagome. _His_ Kagome. 

He didn't want to be some wimpy human, either. And he sure as hell didn't want to die with Kikyo.

But he was tangled in the net of his promises.

The giant youkai sent Inuyasha crashing into a boulder. His head met unyielding stone. With the pain, an answer: _I could start over_.

"Inuyasha!" screamed Kagome, falling on her knees beside him.

_It was now or never_. 

He blinked, slowly, as if dazed. "Who are you? You smell nice..." 


	8. Rebound

Rebound

"And why would this Sesshoumaru take his brother's woman? A human?" asked the tai-youkai, sneering.

Kagome sniffled pitifully, wiping one tear-stained cheek. "Because I'm tired of being second-best to an undead girl! I could help you!"

He stood perfectly still for a long time, his gaze fastened on the horizon. As she waited, Kagome began to notice how very tall he was. And he had the same gorgeous hair as that two-timing hanyou she'd fallen in love with...

"All right," Sesshoumaru said, finally. His deep voice sent a thrill through Kagome. 

His next words, however, dashed her hopes. "Rin needs a babysitter."


	9. Shikon High

Shikon High

_Wow_. _I can't believe everyone's here!_ Kagome smiled blissfully at the teacher droning on at the front of the classroom.

_Hey!_ thought Shippou, indignantly. _What am I doing in high school? I'm just a kid!_

_I'm nineteen_, thought Miroku, glumly. _Years of education.__ Why am I--hey, those are really short skirts!_

_Boring.__ Fuck, I already know how to sign my name, handle a sword, and hunt for dinner. _Inuyasha flicked a spitball at Shippou. Hell, even the kitsune was at least 21, if he knew anything about youkai. 

Inspiration struck. They were _all_ older than Kagome...

"That's it. We're going out for beers, Kagome. Later!" 


	10. Home

Home

"Youkai!" The acrid scent of fear.

"Hanyou." The fear-smell tempered by contempt.

"Those claws...those ears..."

It was always the same when Inuyasha arrived in a new place. Sometimes the villagers were wary rather than fearful, and less likely to throw stones or shoot arrows.

Kagome's house, beyond the Bone-eater's Well, was a wonder to him. It smelled of calm and a deep happiness, more fragrant than the shrine-incense.

They were always glad to see him there. He ate with them. He did chores for Mama and Grandpa. 

No fear. No contempt.

"Inu-no-niichan!*"  called Souta. 

Inuyasha was home at last.

* _Elder  brother Dog_


	11. The Souls of Discretion

_Haven't you ever wondered why Kagome's three schoolfriends seem so oblivious to all the odd things that happen when Inuyasha visits the modern era?_

The Souls of Discretion

Walking down the steps steps from the Higurashi Shrine, Kagome's three girlfriends were mulling over their first real meeting with Kagome's boyfriend.

"He wasn't so bad, and he had the nicest, softest hair," sighed Yuka. "But you think Kagome-chan would have noticed his eyes..."

"Or his fangs," added Eri.

Yuka sighed. "So...should we tell Kagome-chan that her boyfriend isn't _human_?"

"No!" chorused the other two girls.

"The shock to her system..." added Eri.

Yuka nodded. "I guess we'll just have to trust him to tell her when the time is right."


End file.
